Schumer



Feb. 7, 1956 2,733,591

L. SCH U M ER KEY RETAINER Filed March 17, 1953 @if .214 @if ff 11141215 f1 NVENTOR SCHME/ ATTORNEY United States Patent O N' `2,733,591 KEY RETAINER i Louis Schumer, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application March 17, 1953, Serial No. 342,913

Claims. (Cl. 70--456) This invention is directed to a new simplified and serviceable key retainer and its dominant objects, salient features and functional and structural advantages will appear from the following detailed specification taken with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of the key retainer according to my invention.

Fig. 2 is a side view of Fig. 1 illustrating the slidable bar closed and locked to preclude removal of the key hangers.

' Fig. 2A is a view similar to Fig. 2, however showing the bar or shutter raised to .permit removal or insertion Fig. 6 is a View similar to Fig. 4 but showing the shutter bar raised, and

Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view on the line 7-7 of Fig.` 6.

illustrative of the embodiment disclosed, the key retainer is generally indicated KR and comprises the rectilinear plate 19 provided with spaced depending hollow and arcuate beads 11, spaced apart by slots 12.

Heads 13 of key hangers H are removably supported by a pair of arcuate beads 11. Heads 13 are wider than slots 12 although Shanks S carrying these heads may be threaded therein as is well appreciated.

The spaced beads 11 at the rear thereof form vertical gaps G adapted to be opened or closed by the shutter bar SB which extends across the entire length of the posterior or rear face of rectilinear plate 10.

Extending forwardly of bar SB and at the ends thereof and substantially normal thereto are the spaced ears E which closely and` slidably embrace or straddle the end beads of plate 10. Bar SB also embodies turned-in lips L defining guide channels C (Fig. 3A) to permit linear movement of bar SB towards and closely aside of free terminals T of beads 11. In such relation bar SB covers gaps G to keep` the hangers in beads 11 and thus preclude their removal. To keep the bar closed and locked, plate 10 embodies the struck out detent or projection D cooperating with the upper margin of bar SB to preclude upward displacement of bar SB away from terminals T (Fig. 5). However this bar is slightly curved, having its inner surface concaved and its outer surface convex as shown to provide ample clearance to permit bar SB to ride on projection D when this bar is deliberately urged upwardly by nger pressure against ears E. Projection D also frictionally cooperates with arcuate bar SB to hold the latter raised or fully open (Fig. 7) to permit removal or insertion of the hangers out of or into beaded `portion of plate 10. In fact proconstitute keepers movably straddling the ends of plate,v

10 and movably retain shutter bar SB on this plate.

To operate bar SB, ears E are grasped between a finger and thumb of the operator and are urged towards or away from the bottom part of plate 10, that is, the

beaded part. lf urged upwardly, the bar is slidably shifted upward against the resistance offered by projection D to open the plate to permit prompt access to the spaced andfree terminals T to suspend or remove key hangers. Spaced stops ST limit such upward movement.

These stops are constituted by the lower parts of ilange Y F integral with and extending rearwardly of plate 10.

To close the key retainer, shutter or closure bar SB is urged Vdownwardly by manipulating ears E to snap by detent D which locks the bar in its closed relation against accidental opening. f f v Various changes may be made in details of construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of tli'e invention or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof inherent therein. v

l claim: n

1. A key retainer adapted to removably support key hangers, comprising; a plate embodying spaced beaded portions defining spaced slots to removably receive said hangers and defining rearwardly extending 4free terminals for sustaining said hangers, said terminals being spaced apart from the body of said plate to detine spaced gaps in communication with said slots, a bar movable towards or away from said terminals and disposed at the rear of said plate for removably closing said gaps and for removably bridging said slots, said bar having guide means cooperating with said plate to permit linear movement of said bar towards or away from said gaps and terminals, and detent means integral with and extending from and rearwardly of said plate for cooperating with said bar to removably hold the latter against said terminals to removably close said gaps.

2. A key retainer adapted to removablysupport key hangers, comprising; a plate embodying spaced beaded portions defining spaced slots to removably receive said hangers and dening rearwardly extending free terminals for sustaining said hangers, said terminals being spaced apart from the body of said plate to define spaced gaps in communication with said slots, a bar movable towards or away from said terminals and disposed longitudinally of and at the rear of said plate for removably closing said gaps and for removably bridging said Islots, said bar having guide means cooperating with said` plate to permit linear movement of said bar towards or away from said gaps and terminals, and detent means integral with and extending from and rearwardly of said plate to frictionally cooperate with said bar to hold the latter away from said terminalsV to permit uninterrupted access to said gaps and terminals. v

3. A key retainer adapted to removably support key hangers, comprising; a plate embodying spaced beaded portions dening spaced slots to removably receive said hangers and defining rearwardly extending free terminals for sustaining said hangers, said terminals being spaced apart from the body of said plate to dene spaced gaps in communication with said slots, a bar movable towards or away from said terminals and disposed longitudinally of and at the rear of said plate for removably closing said gaps and for removably bridging said slots, said bar having terminal guide means cooperating with said plate to permit linear movement of said bar towards or away from said gaps and terminals, detent means iutegral withand-extending from and rearwardly and substantially medially of said plate to cooperateV with said bar to removably hold the latter against said terminals Vto removablyclose said gaps, `and stop means carriedfby said plateand cooperating with; said bar to limit: displacement of -said han away from saidterminals.

4. A key retain-er adapted to removably' support key hangers, comprising; a plate embodying spaced beaded portions definingl spacedv slots to removably receiveV said hangers and defining rearwardlyextending free terminals for sustaining said hangers, said terminals being spaced apart from the body of said plate to dene spaced gaps in-eom'municatiorr with said slots, a bar hawng an exteriorly con-vexed and aninternally' concaved face and movable towards or away from saidterrninals and disposed longitudinally'of vand at the rear of said plate for removably' closing said gaps' andfor removably bridging said slots, said' bar having; terminal; guide means cooperatingwith spaced marginal portionsk of said plate to` permit linear movement of` said bar towards or away from said: gaps and' terminals, and a detent integral with 'and extending from and rearwardly of said plate to cooperate with a medial portion of saidl harto removably hold the latterl against' said terminals' to removably close said gaps and to frictionally cooperate with said concaved face to hold said bar,y away'from` said terminals and gaps.

5. A key retainer adapted to removablyA support key i 4 hangers, comprising; a plate embodying a plurality of aligned spaced beaded portions defining spaced'slots to removably receive said hangers'and defining rearwardly extending free terminals for sustaining said hangers, said terminals being spaced apart from the body of Lsaid plate to define spaced gaps in communication with said slots, an exteriorly conveXed and internally concaved bar movable towards or away from said terminals and disposed References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,201,833 Koelling May 21, 1940 2,201,860 Dawson May 21, 1940 2,424,775 Segal July 29, 1947 2,583,360 Duell v Jan. 22, 1952 2,648,216. Hanna Aug. 11, 1953 

